Tips

Drop ceilings belong in a commercial environment. In a basement they discolor, sag and if you replace a panel it stands out like a sore thumb. We recommend drywall for sound attenuation and a clean look. It is easy to repair and can repainted.

Donʼt order solid heavy doors if you have toddlers or grandkids visiting. The weight and mass of those doors wonʼt crush little fingers; they will amputate them.

An old friend and colleague who was the Chief Building Inspector for Boston and President of the Sanitary Engineers Association once told me, "Different materials expand at different rates and that is where you will find leaks." Let those leaks occur (inevitable with time) where you can see them, at shut off valves where it transitions to plastic supplies, not in your walls or ceilings.

Ever hear running water water in your walls? That is because your waste lines are plastic. If you install cast iron risers you wonʼt hear the water flow when you run a sink or toilet upstairs.

If youʼre building put a hose bibb on every corner and always one by the driveway. You will be better able to add a sprinkler system in the future and itʼs much more convenient to roll up short hoses.

If you are thinking of purchasing an older home have it tested for lead paint. The new RRP License requires contractors to take special (read expensive) precautions when working on your home. They can be fined up to $32,000 per infraction. A Contractor in Maine has been fined over $100,000. We are an RRP licensed Contractor and will be pleased to describe the procedures required to work on an older home with lead paint.

Tell your Architect or Contractor what your budget is. Most of us want to give you everything you desire in an estimate for your new home or remodeling project. The difference in the price of a simple lavatory faucet can be equivalent to the difference in price between a Lexus and a Kia. Theyʼll both get where youʼre going but at a substantial cost difference. We itemize every estimate so youʼll have the opportunity to decide on that Kia or Rolls Royce.

Already built your home and found that it takes too long for your shower to come to temperature? We can fix that without cutting into your walls or floors.

Plan ahead! Extra spaces and capacity in your electrical panel are cost effective.

Run the gas line to the patio so youʼll never have to run after a propane tank for your barbecue.

Put blocking in the shower for a future seat or grab bar.

Not all toilets are the same. Be sure that your new one is the right height. Some toilets are better at bowl washing than others and noise is always a consideration. You may also consider a bidet seat.